catapult magazine

I don’t want to be stronger

by Jenne Smith

when the ‘strength’ comes
from another crushing bout
with crisis, loss and pain. 
Some tragedy so void of light
or oxygen it ought to kill you,
but never quite does.

Me, I want to be weak, wrung out
and boneless.  Then, maybe, fate
would know it can’t count on me
to withstand the tough stuff, that
my load bearing capacity has
reached its limit.

Me, I want the relief that losing
strength must bring, relief from
just slowly sliding down the path
to fragility.